Page 18 Page 19 Issue 14 Dear Readers, ‘Wisdom In Islam’ encompasses in its radiant words the true goals that all of us must strive for. Its bounty of mercy, forgiveness, and guidance is stunning in its clarity. If perhaps each of us wouldmake the commitment to practice these principles for even one day we would feel the power and grace of Allah working in our lives. Imagine using this wonderful guidance on a regular basis? It is especially important during this month of Ramadan to endeavor to practice and then to invite others to practice these beautiful words of wisdom. Khalid ibn El Waleed narrated the following hadith: A Bedouin came one day to the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) and said to him, “O, Messenger of Allah! I’ve come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this life and the Hereafter.” - Ask what you wish. - I’d like to be the most learned of men. - Fear Allah, and you will be the most learned of men. - I wish to be the richest man in the world. - Be contented, and you will be the richest man in the world. - I’d like to be the most just man. - Desire for others what you desire for yourself, and you will be the most just of men. - I want to be the best of men. - Do good to others and you will be the best of men. - I wish to be the most favored by Allah. - Engage much in Allah’s praise, and you will be most favored by Him. - I’d like to complete my faith. - If you have good manners you will complete your faith. - I wish to be among those who do good. - Adore Allah as if you see Him. If you don’t see Him, He seeth you. In this way you will be among those who do good. - I wish to be obedient to Allah. - I’d like to be free from all sins. - Bathe yourself from impurity and you will be free from all sins. - I’d like to be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light. - Don’t wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light. - I’d like Allah to bestow His mercy on me. - If you have mercy on yourself and on others, Allah will grant you mercy on the Day of Judgment. - I’d like my sins to be very few. - If you seek the forgiveness of Allah as much as you can, your sins will be very few. - I’d like to be the most honorable man. - If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most honorable of men. - I’d like to be the strongest of men. - If you put your trust in Allah, you be the strongest of men. - I’d like to enlarge my provision. - If you keep yourself pure, Allah will enlarge your provision. - I’d like to be loved by Allah and His messenger. - If you love what Allah and His messenger love you will be among their beloved ones. - I wish to be safe from Allah’s wrath on the Day of Judgment. - If you do not lose your temper with any of your fellow creatures, you will be safe from the wrath of Allah on the Day of Judgment. - I’d like my prayers to be responded. - If you avoid forbidden actions your prayers will be responded. - I’d like Allah not to disgrace me on the Day of Judgment. - If you guard your chastity, Allah will not disgrace you on the Day of Judgment. - I’d like Allah to provide me with a protective covering on the Day of Judgment. - Do not uncover your fellow creatures faults, and Allah will provide you with a covering protection on the Day of Judgment. - What will save me from sins? - Tears, humility and illness. - What are the beet deeds in the eyes of Allah? - Gentle manners, modesty and patience. - What are the worst evils in the eyes of Allah? - Hot temper and miserliness. - What assuages the wrath of Allah in this life and in the Hereafter? - Concealed charity and kindness to relatives. - What extinguishes hell’s fires on the Day of Judgment - Patience in adversity and misfortunes. Imam El Mustaghfiri said: “I have never heard a tradition more comprehensive of the beauties of religion, and more beneficial tha this hadith. It collects all the good things of Islam but not put to use.” (Related by Imam Ibn Hambal) KINDNESS - Whoever has no kindness has no faith. PRINCES AND SCHOLARS - The best of princes is one who visits the wise. The worst of scholars is one who visits princes. THE JUDGE - A man appointed to be a judge has been killed with-out a knife. STRUGGLE - The holy warrior is him who struggles with himself. INK AND BLOOD - The ink of the learned is holier than the blood of the martyr. CONTEMPLATION - An hour’s contemplation is better than a year’s worship. UNDERSTANDING - Speak to everyone in accordance with his degree of understanding. FOOD - Nobody has eaten better food than that won by his own labor. WORK - I am a worker. ACCUSATIONS - Anyone reviling a brother for a sin will not himself die before committing it. PARADISE - I will stand surety for Paradise if you save yourselves from six things: telling untruths, violating promises, dishonoring trust, being unchaste in thought and act, striking the first blow, taking what is bad and unlawful. TASKS - Whoever makes all his tasks one task (i.e. the Hereafter), God will help him in his other concerns. POETRY - In some poetry there is wisdom. LIES, PROMISES, TRUST - He is not of mine who lies, breaks a promise or fails in his trust. THOUGHTS - Good thoughts are a part of worship. VISION OF THE FAITHFUL - The Faithful see with the light of God. SOME BEHAVIOR - I am like a man who has lighted a fire, and all the creeping things have rushed to burn themselves in it. THE QUR’AN - The Qur’an has been revealed in seven forms. Each verse has inner and outer meaning. OBLIGATION TO LEARN - The pursuit of knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim. THE YOUNG IN PARADISE - Old women will not enter Paradise: they will be young and beautiful first. A JOURNEY - On a journey, the lord of a people is their servant. RECOGNITION - Souls which recognize one another congregate together; those which do not, argue with one another. TRUTH - Speaking the truth to the unjust is the best of holy wars. KNOWLEDGE - Journey even as far as China seeking knowledge. THE TIME WILL COME - The time will come when you are divided into 72 sects. A group among you will be my people, the people of Salvation. THE BEQUEST - I have nothing to leave you except my family. A woman’s economic rights are taken for granted today. However, such rights are fairly new in much of the world. Women in Arabia before the time of Muhammad (PBUH) were considered chattel. Infant girls were often buried alive to spare the family’s honor, and widows were inherited along with other items of property. Indeed, this was the common lot of women around the world. In Persia, women were under the complete authority of men, and could be bought and sold; in India, a faithful wife was one who served her husband as if he were a god, addressing him as “lord,” eating his leftovers, and upon his death being burned alive atop his corpse; and even in Rome, whose law was regarded as more civilized, a woman was forced to remain financia ly dependent all her life, with no separate or independent right. The beginning of the Islamic era ushered in a revolutionary change in the status of women. Islam decreed a right of which woman was deprived, not only in the pre-Islamic era, but up until quite recently even in the West: the right of independent ownership. According to Islamic law, a woman has full rights in her money, real estate, and other assets. These rights undergo no change when she gets married, and she retains her full rights in buying, selling, and mortgage, as well as in the signing of contracts for rent, enterprise, etc. Islam regards the married woman’s role as wife and mother as the most essential one, and a woman is entitled to financial maintenance by her husband. However, a woman may also work and earn an income if there is an economic need. Since there is nothing in Islamic law that forbids a woman to work, she may do so when there is a necessity for it. This is especially so in the case of occupations needed most by society, such as teaching and medicine, although there is no restriction on benefitting from a woman’s scarce talents in any field. Indeed, although a woman’s occupying the position of judge has been seen by many people as unsuited to a woman’s nature, we see some early Muslim jurists finding nothing wrong with it In addition, whereas prior to the institution of Shariah (Islamic law) a woman could be inherited, Shariah forbade this practice and gave her instead the right to inheritance. Her share is completely hers, and no one, including her husband, can take it away from her. “Unto the men (of the family) belongs a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, and unto women a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, whether it be little or much - a legal share.” (Qur’an 4:7) The Wisdom in Islam WOMEN IN ISLAM
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